Lean On Me
by DrElementary
Summary: I didn't like how Mary died just to advance Edward's character. I know it's historical that she died in prison, but it upset me. So this is what would have happened if she didn't. Also, Anne was criminally under-used. /users/DrElementary for the rest of what I've written so far.


Locked in the prison they had no one but themselves. Seperate cells, yet still adjacent. No one else was even on the same block.

They were already friends, of course, having sailed on the same ship for a year, and before that even.

"Mary?" Anne said, her irish lilt still apparent; it hadn't yet been fully removed by the years of living in Nassau.

"Yes, Anne?" Mary replied, voice slightly echoing off the stone and steel.

"Do you think they'll come to rescue us?"

"Of course they will. Any moment now they'll come sailing into the harbor and blow this place to rubble."

Anne laughed ruefully. "They'd better make it quick, then."

Sitting against the stone wall that separated them, they sat back to back.

Mary reached her hand out through the bars, and Anne took it. She grunted in pain.

"Another contraction?"

"Yes," Anne confirmed through her teeth.

They knew no doctor was coming to help. Just like with Mary's baby, they'd show up soon after to take it away, with no hope of ever seeing it again.

"Just hold fast, lass."

"Mary...your hand is burning up with fever."

Anne knew she was ill, of course, there had been no hiding that, but Mary had been careful to hide how bad it was. Better for the baby not to worry the mother. Never mind the fact that it would never know it's mother.

"Don't fret yourself over it, 'tis nothing," Mary spoke as soothingly as she could. That damn Kenway better show up soon, or she'd have some words with him!

Ever since they'd seen him shackled in the crowd at their sentencing, they had been waiting for rescue. With both them and Edward in this Devil cursed prison, the Assassins should have been planning a rescue from the start. That is, if Edward didn't manage to break out himself. What in the Devil was he waiting for?

She'd tried to get out herself, of course, but being until very recently with child, and then at the end sick as well, she'd had no success.

"Mary? Are you okay?" Anne asked with some concern.

Mary was not. Her vision was getting blurry, and she felt like every inch of her skin was on fire.

"I'm just fine," she mumbled, trying to focus on hanging onto Anne's hand. It was the only thing that felt real anymore.

"Mary? Mary!" Anne's panicked voice faded into echoes.

"Someone help, God curse you!" Anne banged on the bars of her cell, trying to get anyone's attention. "She's dying! You cowards, come and help! Anyone, help! God damn you all! Auugh," another contraction forced her to her knees. She reached back out of her cell, and grasped at Mary's hand that was lying limp on the floor.

"Stay with me Mary! Don't you dare leave me alone in this place! Don't you dare," she cried now, in spite of herself.

She heard some commotion, but didn't bother to look up. "Mary, Mary, please don't go."

Then she realized the voice she was hearing was familiar, and looked up. It was Edward.

He ran up to their cells, seeing Mary slumped on the floor. Quickly unlocking the door, he knelt in front of her.

"Mary? Mary it's me, Edward," he said, afraid of getting no answer, adrenaline pumping through his body. He placed a hand on her cheek, felt it burning with fever.

"Edward? Who's this fellow?" Anne asked nearby, as Ah Tabai opened her cell as well.

"It's alright Anne, he's a friend," he replied hurriedly. "What's wrong with Mary?" Her eyes were glassy.

"She's ill."

"And her child?" he asked, studying her face.

"They took her." Edward looked up in shock. "No idea where," Anne continued sadly, before doubling over with another contraction.

"I know it pains my lady, but we must be silent," Ah Tabai started to guide Anne away.

"Can you walk?" Edward asked of Mary, helping her to her feet. She groaned and put her weight on her as he hauled her up.

"Lean on me Mary, come on," he encouraged as they staggered out of the cell. Her breathing was heavy and pained.

"I can't," she gasped. Edward said nothing, but put her arm over his shoulders, taking more of her weight.

Sounds of pursuit came from down the hallway.

"Come on, that's it," he said as they stumbled forward a few more steps. Mary stopped again to try to catch her breath.

"You're all right," Edward said, voice cracking. They managed a few more hesitant steps, before Mary staggered to one side to support herself on the wall. She doubled over in exhaustion. Her face was screwed up in pain.

"Stop. Stop, please," she wheezed, unable to move, as her arm slipped from his shoulders.

"I ain't leaving you dammit, lift your arm," he commanded, bodily dragging her forward as another surge of adrenaline hit him. Her feet tried to keep up, and they managed a few paces around a corner. Her breathing was ragged and shallow.

"It's no good," she muttered, defeated, tired. Edward felt more of her weight as she started to lean backwards, her legs giving out. The shouts were closer behind them now, and any minute they would discover the empty cells.

Edward bent over and lifted her up, one arm under her knees, the other supporting her back. Heat radiated from her body.

"I ain't leavin you nowhere. No bloody way," he said with soft determination, glancing over at her as her head rolled back and forth.

"Put me down, Edward," she rasped, looking at him directly for the first time.

"Not a chance in Hell."

The door was right in front of them. With one final effort he made it outside into the cool night air. He could see the row boat Ah Tabai had ready for them, Anne already sitting in it. Mary's head fell back again, and her unfocused gaze saw the night.

"Look there, Mary. We're almost free," he said, continuing his slow yet steady progress forward. "Ah Tabai has a boat for us. Anne is already in it, safe. They're waiting for us."

She didn't reply, but Edward saw her face relax.

He continued to talk to her.

"And out there, in the darkness, a boat to take you back to Tulum, where they'll get you all fixed up," he puffed. He looked over at her. Her eyes were closed, and he had a moment of panic before he realized she was still breathing.

"What's happened with Mary? What's wrong?" Anne asked anxiously as he approached.

"She's alright, just passed out," he replied. "We have to get her out of here now, though!"

"Oh thank God," Anne replied, face scrunched as another contraction crested.

Ah Tabai helped him place Mary in the bottom of the boat. They pushed it off the sand then leapt in themselves.

"Row! Row like the Devil himself is after you," Edward shouted. They disappeared into the fog.


End file.
